Icelanders are voting in a referendum to decide whether to resume talks on joining the European Union. The outcome is expected to be close, with the campaigns led by Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir for the "Yes" side and Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of the opposition Independence Party, for the "No" side.
During a televised debate ahead of the vote, Frostadóttir argued that Iceland is already closely integrated with the EU and that membership would be a significant step in reducing risks. She also emphasized that a "Yes" vote would not automatically lead to membership and that the result of a "No" vote would be respected.
Hafsteinsdóttir, on the other hand, stated that the referendum was not about Iceland's working relationship with Europe, which she asserted is already strong and will continue. Instead, she framed the vote as a decision on whether Icelanders wish to cede decision-making authority to Brussels concerning the nation's fisheries, agriculture, and natural resources.
While turbulent international affairs prompted the government's decision to consider restarting EU talks, this geopolitical context has played a minor role in the campaign. The focus has largely been on Iceland's crucial fishing industry. According to Hallgrimur Oddsson, director of the EU-Iceland think-tank European Currents, the issue is "lower on the agenda than many would think."
